John Rodgers (DD 983) - Naval Cruise Book

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USS JOHN RODGERS CDD-9831 1985 Following Iwo Jima, JOHN RODGERS resumed duty with the fast carrier task force raidingJapan while awaiting the invasion of Okinawa, last and greatest amphibious operation of the Pacific war. JOHN RODGERS operated with the carriers as they continued to bomb both Japan and Okinawa. She began screening operations as the first assault wave hit the beach 1 April. She stood by protecting the carriers and splashed two kamikazes as they dived toward the flattops. She remained in the area supporting operations until Okinawa was finally secure 21 June. As the war closed, JOHN RODGERS screened the 3rd Fleet during almost continuous raids on Japan. Late in July she operated with Destroyer Division 25 on the Suruga Wan antishipping sweep and penetrated to within lk miles of the Japanese shoreline, probably the closest approach made by surface ships during the entire war. Admiral Halsey congratulated the division commander who had led the sweep on board JOHN RODGERS: Loud applause to you and your boys for a well planned sweep conducted in the best destroyer tradition. You have been enrolled on the emperor's blacklist. Following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the subsequent collapse of Japan, the indefatigable destroyer screened transports carrying occupation troops into Tokyo Bay 6 September. The triumphant entry into Tokyo was a fitting and well-deserved climax for JOHN RODGERS who had fought in almost every major offensive campaign of the Pacific war without losing a single man. Her stay was brief, however, as she sailed for home and arrived Boston 17 October. She moved to Charleston, S.C., 3 November, decommissioned there 25 May 1946, and entered the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. Moved to Philadelphia in 1954, at present she is berthed in Texas where she remains ready to answer any future call to duty. JOHN RODGERS received 12 battle stars for World War II service. Following commissioning on 14 July 1979 at Pascagoula, MS, JOHN RODGERS CDD-9835 conducted Refresher Training at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and later established the range record at Vieques Island Naval Gun-fire Support Range. January 1980 saw the ship returning to Pascagoula for post shake- down and overhaul. In July Sea Eagle once again cruised the Caribbean on a goodwill cruise and reestablished the range record at Vieques. ' On 18 November 1980 JOHN RODGERS commenced her inaugural deployment to the Mediterranean Sea as Flagship, Commander Destroyer Squadron thirty-six. The Sea Eagles tradition of excellence was established on the cruise asJOHN RODGERS won the Hook'ems award for tracking a highly evasive submarine. From 4 September 1981 through 20 October 1981 JOHN RODGERS participated in Ocean Venture Phase VII, a joint US!Spanish naval exercise, Phase VIII a US!Danish! German Baltic exercise and in SHAREM 44 as USfBritish!Dutch ASW exercise conducted in the English Channel. The ship's second major deployment, this time to the Middle East, began 11 February 1982. Assigned to COMIDEASTFOR, the ship operated in the Arabian Gulf. in May, JOHN RODGERS' crew became Shellbacks as the ship crossed the equator for the first time enroute to Mombassa, Kenya. The ship returned to Charleston on 28 July 1982. One short month later Sea Eagle left homeport enroute to the Pacific for a two month operation. During March 1983 the ship participated in READEX 1-83 a major fleet exercise involving over 70 ships, in which JOHN RODGERS successfully fired all her weapons systems. The ship departed Charles- ton for her most recent Mediterranean deployment 29 April 1983. A successful cruise saw the Sea Eagle again reaffirrning her traditions of being able to get the job done by firing her guns in support of the Multi-National Forces, Beirut, Lebanon. Completing the deployment by participating in CRISEX 83, the ship returned home in November 1983. The hectic pace continued in 1984 with JOHN RODGERS participating in February in the exercise United Effort!Teamwork 84 with the British and Canadians and Baltops 84 in Baltic with the Norwegians, Germans, and Dutch. Returning from the exercise in late April 1984JOHN RODGERS made her final preparations for the Pascagoula, MS overhaul which com- menced 10 J une 1984 and ended successfully on 14 March 1985. USS JOHN RODGERS entered her first overhaul 10 June 1984. Returning to her birth place, Pascagoula, Mississippi. The Destroyer was welcomed by Ingalls Shipyard, the town of Pascagoula, and the surrounding communities. During the nine month overhaul the already awesome capabilities of the ship were updated and groomed. JOHN RODGERS continued her trend setting pace, which has become the norm for the crew and ship, by completing overhaul 56 days early and over 2 million dollars under budget. Vital statistics of the New JOHN RODGERS include: Armainent ........................ C25 5 54 cal., MK 45 Gun Mounts MK 112 ASROC Launcher MK 32 Torpedo Launcher MK 29 Nato Sea Sparrow Missile Launcher Harpoon Missiles Tomahawk Missiles Displacement ..... .... 8 500 Tons Cup from 7800 Tonsb Personnel ...... .................. O fficers 21 CPO's 24 Enlisted 275 5

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The first JOHN RODGERS, a lighthouse tender 165 feet long and displacing 455 tons, was built in Newburgh, N.Y., and taken over bythe Navy at the beginning of World War I under Executive Order of 11 April 1917 which placed the Lighthouse Service under Navy control. Shenwas assigned to the 3rd Naval District and operated there until the Light- house Service was returned to the Department of Commerce 1July 1919. RODGERS CDD-2545 was laid down as KALK 25 September 1918 by the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corp., Quincy, Mass., renamed.RODGERS 23 December 19183 launched 26 April 1919, sponsored by Miss Helen Rodgers, grand-daughter of Commodore John Rodgers, and commis- sioned 22 July 1919, Lt. Comdr. A.M. Steckel in command. 1 RODGERS served with Division 28, Destroyers, Atlantic Fleet, until the spring of 1922 when she steamed to Philadelphia for inactivation. Decommissioned 20July of that year, she remained in reserve until after the outbreak of World War II in Europe. t RODGERS, recommissioned 18 December 1939, again served briefly with the Atlantic Fleet, and in October 1940 moved to Halifax where she joined other four stackers being transferred to the United Kingdom in exchange for bases in the Western Hemisphere. She decommissioned 23 October 1940 and was transferred and commissioned the same day for service in the 4th Town Flotilla as H.M.S. SHERWOOD CI.80J. SHERWOOD sailed for the United Kingdom 1 November. Diverted en route, she participated in the search for survivors of ships lost from convoy HX 84 and in the subsequent hunt for ADMIRAL SCHEER, when returning to Canada for repairs. On the 18th, she arrived at Belfast, continued on to Portsmouth, whence, after overhaul, she sailed to join the 12th Escort Group, Western Approaches Command at Londonderry. Transferred, with her group, to Iceland in April 1941, she joined in the hunt for BISMARCK in May and on the 28th, the day after the German battleship had been sunk, assisted in rescue operations for survivors from British destroyers H.M.S. MASHOMA CF.59J. During the summer, SHERWOOD underwent repairs in the Clyde, then returned to Londonderry, whence she operated, first with the 2nd Escort Group, then with the 22nd, into the new year, 1942. In February and March, she accompanied carriers during trials, and, after another yard period, April to August, served as a target ship for training aircraft from the Royal Naval Air Station at Fearn, Scotland. In the autumn, she against crossed the Atlantic and served with the Newfoundland Command until she returned to Londonderry in February 1943. During March and April she escorted a convoy to Tunisia and back, but by May she again needed major repairs. Worn out, she was paid off at Chatham, stripped of useable parts and ordnance, and towed to the Humber where she was beached in shallow water for use as an aircraft target. Her hulk was scrapped in 1945. The second JOHN RODGERS CDD-5745 was laid down by Con- solidated Steel Corp., Orange, Texas, 25July 1941, launched 7 May 1942, sponsored by Miss Helen Perry Rodgers, daughter, great grandniece, and great grand-daughter of the ship's namesakes, and commissioned 9 February 1943, Commander H.O. Parrish in command. After shakedown in the Caribbean, JOHN RODGERS departed Norfolk 13 May escorting a convoy through the Panama Canal to Pearl Harbor. Following a short training period there, the destroyer joined the screen of a fast carrier task force in August during damaging raids on Marcus Island, Tarawa, and Wake Island which also gathered invalu- able information for future landings. Then, in a joint cruiser-destroyer force, she sailed for Empress- Augusta Bay to support landings on Bougainville 1 November. While screening the transports there a week later, she assisted SANTA FE in splashing a Japanese torpedo plane. From this action she joined the destroyer screen on the Southern Attack Force for the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. She protected the transports during the landings on Betio Island 20 November and remained in the area supporting the brave marines ashore until Tarawa Atoll was secure. Late in December the destroyers sailed to Pearl Harbor to prepare for the next major offensive. JOHN RODGERS departed Pearl Harbor 22 January 1944 headed for the Marshall Islands. Profiting from experience gained in previous engagements, the Navy launched a well-coordinated attack on Kwajalein Atoll 31 January. In addition to providing anti- aircraft and anti-submarine protection, JOHN RODGERS supported the landing forces with gunfire which knocked out enemy troop concentra- tions and pill boxes. After the last resistance disappeared 7 February, the destroyer patrolled the Marshall Island area until late March. During April she acted as escort for ships bringing men and weapons as American forces surprised the enemy at Hollandia. Naval fire support helped ground troops to secure airfields giving the United States a closer base for future attacks on the remainingJapanese held islands. 4 USS JOHN RODGERS CDD-2543 41919-19401 USS JOHN RODGERS CDD-5745 C1943-1946J In May JOHN RODGERS operated out I of Guadalcanal screening convoys and bombarding enemy positions. Early inJune she sailed to the Marshall Islands to prepare for the Marianas Campaign and departed Eniwetok 17 July with the Guam invasion force. Beginning 21 July, JOHN RODGERS fired more than 3,600 rounds at targets on Guam helping to knock out enemy troop concentrations and defensive works. The destroyer remained in the Marianas until 4 August and provided antisubmarine screen for transports bringing reinforcements. In August JOHN RODGERS began preparations for the Morotai Invasion and departed Humbolt Bay 14 September to support and screen the landings there. After this operation, which provided the only Allied base from which to stage short-range fighters and bombers to Leyte, she remained on patrol duty in the area. JOHN RODGERS returned to Hollandia 2 October to prepare for the long-awaited invasion of the Philippines. She got under way for Leyte 13 October and arrived to support landings 7 days later. Now commanded by CommanderJ.G. Franklin, she screened the ships carrying General MacArthur and his troops back to the Philippines. As American fighting men moved inland and took two important airfields, the destroyer provided fire support and patrolled the area. Meanwhile, risking all to save the Philippines, Japan committed her entire remaining naval force to battle. The U.S. Navy met this challenge by routing the Japanese in the decisive Battle for Leyte Gulfe, and reducing their once powerful navy to a mere shadow of its former strength. - Following this historic action, JOHN RODGERS departed the Philip- pines 30 October for Mare Island, Calif., and a badly needed overhaul. Rejuvenated by early January 1945, the destroyer sailed west to join Admiral Spruance's Task Force 58 on 7 February for final offensive operations against the enemy. Carrier strikes on theJapanese homeland began 16 February, and in 2 days of relentless air attacks, destroyed nearly 800 enemy planes. Then JOHN RODGERS turned toward the Bonin Islands to screen a fast carrier task force covering the invasion of Iwo Jima 19 February. Although air raids and heavy guns knocked out many enemy defensive WQfkS,, the island was well enough fortified to make the Navy pay a high price in lives and weapons for this vital stopover for B-29 bombers raiding Tokyo.

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COM DI G OFFICER COMMANDER STEPHEN G. KMETZ REWARDIN G HARD WORK, THE CO PRE- SENTS A CERTIFICATE TO MSSN TREZZA AT A MONTHLY AWARDS CEREMONY. 6 A native of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Commander Stephen Kmetz is a 1965 graduate of the University of Minnesota where he received his commission through the NROTC program. Commander Kmetz served as First Lieutenant in USS LASALLE CLPD-35, Weapons Officer in USS DEALEY CDE-10065, Executive Officer in USS BENEWAH CAPD-355, and as Commanding Officer of USS CANON Cpg-905. He participated in extensive operations with the rivers and contiguous Waters of Vietnam and Cambodia while serving in USS BENEWAH and USS CANON from 1969 to 1972. After a brief assignment as Operations Officer on the Staff of Commander Coastal Squadron THREE, Commander Kmetz served on the Destroyer Development Group Staff and as Flag Secretary to Commander Cruiser Destroyer Group TWO. After graduation from the Naval War College in 1977, he served as Executive Officer, USS KOELSCH CFF-10495 where he participated in ASW Squadron opera- tions. Following this assignment, Commander Kmetz served as Chief Staff Officer for Commander Destroyer Squadron TWENTY and during this tour completed three major overseas deployments. Most recently he served as Executive Officer of Fleet and Mine Warfare Training Center, Charleston, South Carolina. Commander Kmetz assumed command of USS JOHN RODGERS on July 15, 1983. In addition to various unit awards, campaign ribbons and medals, Commander Kmetz is authorized to wear the Bronze Star Cwith combat VDD, Meritorious Service Medal Cwith gold star in lieu of 2nd awardl, Navy Commendation Medal Cwith combat V and gold star in lieu of second awardb, and the Navy Achievement Medal with combat V. Commander Kmetz is married to the formerjanet Maher of Camarillo, California. They have three sons, Michael 9, Stephen 7, and James 6. Sli? 'L COMMANDER KMETZ TAKES THE PODIUM AT THE JOHN RODGERS coMPLET1oN OF OVERHAUL CEREMONY, MARCH 1985 IN PASCAGOULA.